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New Marvel Movies News 2015: David Tennant Cast As New Marvel Villain

David Tennant, better known to many as Doctor Who, is seen speaking at the Television Critics Association Summer press tour in Beverly Hills, California, on Aug. 1, 2012.A "Time Lord" is coming over to the Marvel universe.David Tennant, who played the 10th doctor in "Doctor Who," has been cast as Zebediah Killgrave in "Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones." The action-fantasy TV series will premiere on Netflix later this year.Marvel Studios and Netflix announced on Monday that Tennant will be playing the major villain, also known as the Purple Man, in an all-new 13-episode series that will follow "Marvel's Daredevil."

Executive Producer Melissa Rosenberg could not hide her excitement at the prospect of having Tennant portray a multifaceted character. "I'm so honored and excited by the prospect of David inhabiting this multifaceted character. He can deliver the most heart-wrenching moment to the driest of lines, and all points in between. He'll make Kilgrave a truly original villain," Rosenberg told Entertainment Weekly.

Jeph Loeb, executive producer and head of Television at Marvel, expressed confidence that Tennant will bring an incredible level of dedication to Kilgrave's character. "While most know him for his roles as a hero, we can't wait to unleash a whole new side of this talented actor," Loeb said, according to Marvel.

Tennant rose to international fame when he played the 10th Doctor in the BBC hit series "Doctor Who." He most recently starred in "Broadchurch" and its American adaptation, "Gracepoint."

He will follow a fellow "Doctor Who" star, Christopher Eccleston, who also caused trouble in the Marvel universe as an evil elf in "Thor: The Dark World."

Tennant will join "Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones" as a co-star to Krysten Ritter, who will play Jessica Jones, and Mike Colter, who will portray Jessica's husband Luke Cage.

Ritter will star as the title character, who is rebuilding her personal life and career as a detective who gets pulled into cases involving people with extraordinary abilities in New York after a tragic ending to her short-lived superhero stint.

Kilgrave is an enigmatic figure from Jessica's past whose reappearance will send shock waves through the former superhero's world, the Hollywood Reporter said.

In the Marvel Comics universe, Kilgrave first appeared in Daredevil No. 4 in October 1964. He's an international spy who, in the 2000s, emerged as an enemy to Jones and Cage.

"Jessica Jones," a straight-to-series comic book drama, is one of four shows centering on Marvel heroes that Netflix has picked up. The streaming service has committed to a minimum of four 13-episode series, which will begin rolling out this year, starting with "Jessica Jones."

"Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones" is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix with Twilight's Melissa Rosenberg overseeing the series.

| REUTERS/Fred Prouser